


Until It's Too Late

by Scribblee



Category: Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types, Rockman | Mega Man Classic
Genre: But sucks at confessing, Character Death, Dr. Light is encouraging, Friends to Lovers, Gay Robots, Love Confessions, M/M, Sloppy Makeouts, TimeMan is in love, Until It's Too Late
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23595274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribblee/pseuds/Scribblee
Summary: Oil Man's expiry date arrives much earlier than anybody could have guessed and Time Man not only can't cope with the news, he also can't formulate a way to tell him that he has been in love with the other for so long.
Relationships: Oil Man/Time Man
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Until It's Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> Bruh there is no content for these two. That's about to change

If he had air to breathe, all of it would have left his system when Dr. Light had finished reading aloud the notice that came in the mail. It was a termination notice for several of his smaller creations…old window cleaning robots…outdated security robots to be replaced with newer models and….OilMan. 

TimeMan tried to remain composed as his fellow robot masters glanced grimly to the robot in question, who was currently reading the notice from Dr. Light’s hands. How could he look so damn calm!? 

“Guess my time’s finally up, huh? Figured it was gonna happen sooner or later” OilMan shrugged and gave a small regretful smile, “I mean…why do we even need oil now, right? We got all those new fancy energy sources…” 

“Oilman…Don’t sell short your achievements to robotics just because your ability is no longer needed. Without your oil production skills, the robots you have fuelled may not have lived for as long as they did” Dr. Light spoke solemnly, placing a firm hand on OilMan’s shoulder, “Dr. Wily has tampered with your IC chip far too much to be safely placed into a new form…I’m sorry, but this is the end” 

“Lair!” TimeMan screeched, shoving OilMan from Dr. Light’s hold, “T-There’s…ample amount of time to build a new body for him…y-you’re just…! Y-You don’t want to put the effort in!” OilMan shoved Time away from him with a glare. BombMan and GutsMan immediately caught TimeMan in a firm hold to prevent him from moving. The other robot masters could only cringe as TimeMan thrashed and squawked profanities in their grasp. 

“Hey, what’s your problem?! Don’t go shoving the doctor around like that!” OilMan pinched the bridge of his nose, or lack of thereof. “Time, you’re acting super childish right now. Just…go chill out for a bit, okay? I’m not dyin’ today. Actually…how much time have I got left, Doc?” 

Dr. Light dusted his coat and sighed. “Your expiration date falls on the Sunday. Exactly a week from now. We can make it earlier if you insist” 

“No!” Time and Oil simultaneously spoke. Oil looked to Time and Time looked away shamefully. “I gotta say goodbye to everyone first. And do some last-minute stuff. Register my body to the Robot Museum. Y’know how it is” 

“Very well. Oilman, do what you must. Everyone, return to your duties. Except you, TimeMan. I think it’s a good idea to have a little heart to heart” Dr. Light gave a gentle smile to all his robotic creations before him and waited patiently for them to leave. All but TimeMan, who was stamping his foot impatiently. 

“Doctor. I will get over this loss eventually. The longer I stand here the less time I have to-” 

“The less time you have to spend with OilMan?” The doctor gave TimeMan a knowing look which was brushed off by an irritated huff. 

“Don’t finish my sentences. The less time I will have to work” TimeMan glanced away, but there was no hiding the wetness of his eyes dribbling down his cheek. He gave a huff and sat on Dr. Light’s workbench. 

“TimeMan. I am aware this news has hit you the hardest. When you and OilMan were returned to us from Dr. Wily’s selfish use, we never could have imagined how well you both settled in with the rest of your siblings-” 

“Dr. Light, with all due respect, we are not siblings. None of us. We do not possess biological DNA to suggest we could be related. We were not built from the exact same sheets of metal, our production occurred using different plans and blueprints-” 

“TimeMan, there you go overthinking things again, my son. You don’t have to be flesh and bone to be my children. I call you all siblings because I see you all as my family, my children. Ah, but I’m aware I’ve been seeing you and OilMan differently all along” Dr. Light gave a sigh, a saddened smile painted his features. 

“You don’t love OilMan as a brother, do you? It was foolish of me to consider you siblings. Each and every one of you is so different and unique. You and OilMan are so radically different from each other and yet...I see a connection between you two that I haven’t seen in any of my other creations before” 

TimeMan shifted in his seat uncomfortably, his lip stiffened as more tears fell from his face. He refused to acknowledge them. “....It’s true, doctor....” TimeMan spoke barely above a whisper, “I’ve loathed him for so long but...I always found myself longing for his company every time I sent him away. I was always so busy with work I-” 

The robot master’s frame began to shake as the tears flooded further. A coffee mug sitting innocently next to TimeMan went flying as he threw it across the room in a fit of despair. The robot master was punctual to see the error of his ways and raised his hand in the direction of the object. Both the mug and the coffee seemingly slowed down to a float, suspended in a space-time pocket that slowed time down to a crawl. 

TimeMan gave a broken sob as Doctor Light calmly picked up the mug and maneuvered it to scoop up all the coffee that floated around it, setting it back on his desk with a sigh. 

“I-I love him, doctor. I hate myself so much for only admitting it to myself now” TimeMan gripped both the bells on his helmet and scrunched his face, “And now, there is barely any time left. I-I must...I must tell him...before it’s too late...” 

Dr. Light pulled TimeMan into a tight hug and allowed his creation to muffle his sobs into his labcoat. “TimeMan, you have my blessing. I can see you love OilMan deeply, even if you have difficulty showing it. I want you to know that I support the both of you. Go to him, my son. Speak without fear” 

TimeMan pulled away with a look of pained determination in his eyes. Today was going to be the day he swallows his pride and confesses his feelings. Before it was too late. 

He had to stop checking his internal clock. Every millisecond that passed caused him more and more anxiety. The robot master had pinged a message to OilMan to meet him at a specific location. The ruins of Dr. Wily’s castle, and the new construction site for a new hotel that has since been put on hold. There was still rubble that Timeman could recognize being the walls he was put online in. TimeMan could still remember feeling...very confused and very much manipulated from the start. He was an unfinished prototype when he and OilMan had been stolen. When he went online his torso was still unfinished. Out of the pair of them, TimeMan was the first to be brought to. Dr. Wily was far more interesting in his weapon over OilMan’s. The ability to manipulate time in any shape or form was a brand new concept to humanity. Dr. Wily was very interested to push up his completion date for his own selfish gain. 

When OilMan was brought online, it was purely to help Dr. Wily fuel his weaponized robots and to help around the lab like a lapdog. But somewhere along the way, Dr. Wily saw potential in him. His oil could be used in ways to terrorize humanity and assist in conquering the world. Without any thought or care, Dr. Wily changed OilMan’s build to become something far more sinister. 

OilMan was a rush job, TimeMan stared at the rubble pitifully. He hated Dr. Wily so, so much. 

“Yo!” 

For once, TimeMan didn’t keep track of the time it took for OilMan to arrive. He scolded himself internally and stood up. 

“Good. You actually came” TimeMan looked away from OilMan, an annoyed huff left him, “I was expecting you to ditch me for one last round of E-Tanks with GutsMan” 

“Woah, hell no. Not after this morning. You’re so emotionally constipated right now that if I left you here right now, you’d probably explode on me” OilMan gave a hearty laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, “I know what you’re here for, anyway. You don’t wanna look weak in front of the others when you say goodbye, I get it” 

“That is NOT what I’m here for” TimeMan hissed and crossed his arms, “And I think you know that too” 

OilMan awkwardly tugged at his bandanna. If he had the ability to sweat, there would probably be a pool of perspiration at his feet. “O-Oh yeah? Well, if you think you know what I’m here for then just come out and say it” 

“I’m not going to say what you think. I don’t need to. I can see it in your eyes, the way you carry yourself. How you stay much further past my schedule for you and interrupt my precious time working in my office” TimeMan impatiently stamped his foot. This confession was going all wrong! He was supposed to confess his feelings! Not accuse the other of being in love with him! 

OilMan gave a cocky grin and strode right up to TimeMan. 

“Are you sure that’s what you think I’m here for? You think I’m gonna just come out and say it?” Oh god when did Oilman get so close. When did he take off his bandanna?! “I think...you want me to say it...cause you’re too scared to tell me something. Something totally obvious” 

TimeMan was backed into a corner. Literally and figuratively. His back hit one of the walls that hadn’t of been demolished yet. OilMan’s hands were placed either side of his head, trapping him where he stood. 

“I...O-OilMan I....” 

“Why do you think I took time outta my day to visit you, huh? Even when you told me to leave you alone, I stuck around and you never tried shooing me away. Did you give up or...did you want me there all along?” 

If TimeMan possessed the ability to blush, his face would be on fire. OilMan’s face leaned in a little closer. TimeMan could hear the humming of electricity under OilMan’s synthetic skin. 

OilMan’s eyes softened and his fingers gently brushed over TimeMan’s cheek. And TimeMan’s eyes began to close slowly. OilMan followed suit, his hand reached for the back of the other robot’s head and their cofession no longer needed to be said with words. 

TimeMan leaned forwards and took Oilman’s lips in a kiss, both hands flew up to cup OilMan’s cheeks and pull him in close. It was OilMan’s turn to be startled as he not only wasn’t prepared for how passionately TimeMan kissed him, but how sudden it all was. 

OilMan kissed back with equal passion and a whine erupted from TimeMan’s throat. Their hands were grasping at each other’s builds to pull them closer until OilMan broke it off. 

“Hah...I totally called it...” OilMan smirked and lightly flicked one of TimeMan’s bells, “I knew you felt the same way...all this time...I just knew it...” 

TimeMan gave a dry laugh and closed his eyes. “Shut up and keep kissing me, you fool. I don’t want to waste another second without you on my lips” 

OilMan gave a low chuckle and returned to kiss his lover. Although his end was coming, in that moment, time seemed to slow. Nothing else mattered under the blanket of stars. Not the imminent shut down, the crushing loneliness or the dread of being apart. But time was a cruel thing that took more than it gave. When the sun rose again, so too did the dread of knowing their time together was running short. 


End file.
